[MR] That was then, this is now

[Terri Morgan]

It seems to me that the recent debate reflects the shift in outlook that the
Society has undergone. It used to be, "We're all here to have fun" with an
emphasis on the old-timers helping the newcomers to do that, to learn to
love and enjoy what we do. So a hoary ole scary-good fighter would create a
handicap for himself when the newbie fighter/less gifted fighter had taken a
crippling blow - because that kept the fight going for a little longer and
increased the newbie fighter's chances of winning that bout... "I won
against Duke Almighty! Wow! Okay, well, he fought with one arm behind his
back after he legged me but still... I am SO gonna be practising some more!
Next time he won't need to give me an arm..." and the fighter walks away
stoked. Even if he lost (which is more likely), he was out there swinging
away for more than the three seconds it takes for the Super Fighter to kill
him.

Nowadays, it seems the emphasis is on winning. *Thawk* *Thud* "Next!"

Great for the really good fighters, slightly boring for the medium ones, and
- - have you noticed that we're getting fewer and fewer new ones?


It's not my area of interest so I don't really have an oar in this water.
But I can say it *used* to be my area of interest (to watch) back when the
idea was to go out and make it so *everybody* has fun rather than to reduce
it to a sporting contest.

All things change. 


Hrothny